Since your baby’s immune system is still developing, they can be more susceptible to food poisoning or similar concerns. Hence, caregivers who are handling and preparing a baby’s food must follow these safety hacks when it comes to their baby’s health.

1) Ensure hands and cooking area are clean

Before you touch anything related to your baby’s meal, wash your hands thoroughly. Also ensure your cutting boards, countertops, and utensils are clean.

2) Use fresh ingredients

Use fresh produce when you’re cooking for your child. If possible, try to use organic or farm-to-table ingredients. If it’s not possible, remember to wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly to remove harmful chemicals that are added during processing.

3) Store food safely

Foods that can go bad, like meat, milk, and cooked leftovers, need to be kept at the right temperature to stop germs from growing. After you buy or cook them, put them in the fridge or freezer as soon as you can. Follow the storage rules and use them before they go bad. Fresh baby food should go in the fridge or freezer within two hours to keep it safe, because germs can start growing if it stays out longer.

4) Thoroughly clean fruits and veggies under running water

This helps get rid of pesticide residue, dirt, and germs. If any veggies have a firm or tough skin, like potatoes or carrots, you can use a brush to scrub them. Sometimes, peeling certain veggies/fruits can make them even safer for your baby.

5) Cook food correctly

Remember: Avoid using sugar, salt, and spices in your preparation.

(We will explore how to select, prepare, and cook meats, eggs, fish, veggies, and fruits in later articles in great detail.)

6) Avoid sugar, salt, and spice

When you're starting to feed your baby solid foods, it's a good idea to skip adding salt, sugar, or spices. Your baby has sensitive taste buds, so they don't need extra flavors. Let them explore and enjoy the natural taste of different foods. As they get older, you can gradually introduce mild spices.

7) Avoid reusing oil that's been used for frying something.

It’s highly recommended to use ghee when you’re preparing baby food. Ghee contains the good fats that are necessary for brain development and overall growth.

8) Nuts and seeds are essentially good fats.

Store them in the fridge to prevent them from getting spoilt or stale.

8) Watch out for choking risks

When you're making food for your baby, be careful about foods that could make them choke. Don't give them small, hard, round, sticky, or slippery foods. Cut their food into age-appropriate pieces and always keep an eye on them while they eat to stop any choking.

(We will explore foods that have choking risks, how to avoid choking, and more in later articles in detail.)

9) Introduce allergenic foods slowly

When you start giving your baby new foods that are also common allergens (e.g., eggs, peanuts, fish), try them one at a time in small bits. Keep an eye on your baby for any signs like rashes, hives, trouble breathing, or tummy problems. Consult your doctor if you're worried about potential allergies.

(We will explore allergenic foods, what they are, how to introduce them, what signs to watch out for, and more in detail in later articles, so don’t worry.)

10) Ensure home remedies may not always be good for baby

We truly love our “daadi ma ke nuske” – the little tips and home remedies that are passed on from generation to generation! In fact, you may have heard of homemade solutions for teething too. But, we suggest that you speak to your doctor before using a remedy on your child, as every baby reacts differently to different ingredients.